How to Keep up Your Running Habit

How many times have you started exercising, but then quit after a few weeks?

This article will give you tips on how to stay motivated to run.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Desire
• Nike + shoes/system
• iTunes
• iPod

1. 
    
   Nike Sport Kit

   Whether you've started running or not, I'd suggest buying Nike + shoes ($80+), the Nike + Sports Kit ($30), and an iPod nano ($150). The iPod touch will also work, but it's more expensive. The iPod shuffle WILL NOT work. It may seem expensive, but actually, spending some money up front is part of the motivation. Plus, you may already have an iPod, and if you're serious about running, you need shoes anyway.

2. 
    
   Closer look

   I have the Nike Pegasus, which is a great, lightweight shoe. Make sure you get the Nike + shoe because it has a slot under the foam padding for part of the Sports kit. It's a little chip you don't feel while running which tracks your mileage and other stats.

3. 
    
   Your Awards

   Before you run, register at http://nikeplus.nike.com/nikeplus/. This and iTunes keeps track of all of your runs. Here, you can join teams, join competitions, and create goals.
   
   Set a doable goal for your first month, maybe 30 miles for the month, or 10 runs in the month, or maybe your goal will be to burn 2000 calories for the month. You can set up any goal you want based on distance, calories, and number of runs.
   
   When you accomplish your goals or finish a competition, you get digital medals and you can also see how you compare to other runners.

4. Once you have the equiptment, it's time to run some 5Ks. These are everywhere, so finding one in your hometown won't be hard. Just Google your town's name and the term 5K and you're bound to find dozens. The best thing to do is find a 5K that benefits a charity. Join it and then try to get people to donate to your cause. Again, running for a charity is its own motivation.

5. 
    
   Get Fit

   Push on to two months. After that, people will notice that you've lost weight and wonder how you've done it. That's what happened to me. At first, it didn't seem like anything was going on. But after 4 months of running, I'd lost 20 pounds. This by the way was my first 4 months without a gym membership, so while I spent money on shoes and the kit, I didn't spend $280 in a gym membership that wasn't doing me any good.

6. 
    
   Run Safe

   Once winter rolls around, you'll need some reflective clothing because you'll probably be running in the dark. Again, paying a small amount of money is usually a motivating reason to keep running because you don't want to waste money.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure you talk to your doctor before engaging in any strenuous activity.
• Make sure you properly warm up and cool down. For running, Yoga is a great addition to your workout.
• Wear proper clothing and shoes to keep your feet from getting blisters and to also prevent strained muscles.
• Run where it's safe.
• Remember, you're running with earbuds, so make sure you see all the cars that might be around.
• I'm a novice runner, not a professional athlete. Make sure you ask other people for advice, too.